In recent years, cameras which have relatively large zoom ratios have been produced. Because the weight and volume of the lens barrel tends to increase as a function of zoom ratio, the problem arises of providing the body units of such cameras with sufficient internal stiffness. An example of a known approach to this problem is shown in FIG. 11, which shows a conventional type single lens reflex camera with a 5.times. zoom lens and a camera body structure comprising a stiff front board unit 103 and a lens unit 104 for holding a taking lens. In order to enhance total stiffness of the camera body, the front board unit 103 and the lens unit 104 are attached to a stiff main body unit 101. The front board unit 103 is attached, via a focal plane shutter unit 102, to the main body unit 101 which has a film cartridge chamber 101a. A rear cover unit 105 as an exterior unit is attached to the main body unit from the rear side of the main body unit.
FIG. 12 shows the coupling state of the camera body of FIG. 11. The front board unit 103 and the lens unit 104 are attached to each other with screws at coupling points C31. The main body 101 and the front board unit 103 are attached to each other via the shutter unit 102 with screws at coupling points C32.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the attachment of an exterior unit to the camera body of FIG. 11, which is assembled from the front board unit 103, main body unit 101, etc. A pentagonal prism 110 and an upper cover unit 107 are attached to the front board unit 103 with screws. A cover unit 106, a grip unit 108, and a back cover unit 105 are also attached to the main body unit 101 with screws. Thus, the conventional type camera body shown has a united structure with the front board unit 103, the main body unit 101, and the lens unit 104, thus allowing the attachment of the above-mentioned various exterior units with no reinforcement. A main capacitor 109 for a flash light is held within a grip unit 108.
On the other hand, in the case of a conventional lens shutter type camera with a 3.times. zoom lens, as shown in FIG. 14, a typical camera body structure includes a main body unit 111 attached to a lens unit 112.
FIG. 15 shows the coupling state of the structure of the camera body of FIG. 14, to which a main body unit 111 and a flange portion of a lens unit 112 are attached to each other with screws at coupling points C41. In this lens shutter type camera, only lens unit 112 consists of a stiff member in order to decrease body weight. In attaching exterior units to the camera body, as shown in FIG. 16, such as a front cover 114 and a rear cover 113, in order to prevent torsionally deforming an exterior unit by screwed engagement, the front cover unit 114 is positionally regulated to the lens unit 112 by fitting the end portion of the lens unit 112 to the opening of the front cover 114. The rear cover 113, as a rear exterior unit, is attached to the main body unit 111 at a thrust portion C42, then the rear cover 113 and the front exterior unit 114 are tightened together with screws at coupling points C43. Thus, the exterior units 113 and 114 are held together with screws which are not directly tightened to the camera body.
In the body structure of the single lens reflex camera, however, both the front board unit 103 and the lens unit 104 are required to have high stiffness, so that the cost of the camera body tends to be high. Furthermore, the volume of the camera becomes greater because the stiff front board unit needs a large setting space. Also, in the body structure of the lens shutter type camera, the lens unit 112 is required to have high stiffness and in order to avoid deformation of the exterior unit by engagement of the screws, the exterior unit cannot be directly tightened with screws to the main body unit 111.